Portugal has six of the “40 best holiday villas and apartments in Europe”
Tourism || Six holiday establishments in Portugal have been featured in a list of Europe’s “40 best holiday villas and apartments” published online on Saturday (March 7) by British newspaper The Guardian.
Written by freelance travel journalist Rhiannon Batten, the article features the Vineyard House (Douro Valley), the Patio House (Lisbon), Rua da Bica Residence (Peniche), Flattered Tomar (Tomar), Villa Agosto (Faro) and Casa Principal (Odeceixe).
Starting in the north, Batten writes that the Vineyard House is a four-bedroom rental that has “a lovely pool and outdoor dining space overlooking the surrounding vine-covered terraces”.
Moving on to the Portuguese capital, the writer describes the Patio House as “light, airy and characterful”, located on the ground floor of a tiled 19th-century building with “antique finds and vintage furniture set against white walls and modern fittings”.
For families, Rua da Bica Residence is recommended as “there’s plenty of equipment for younger children, from cots to high chairs, plus a shared garden and swimming pool”. Plus as the beach is a “10-minute walk away, there are several surf schools on the doorstep if older children want to have lessons.”
But if you want to “get off the beaten track”, then Flattered Tomar – “a collection of six rentals in a stylishly refurbished 1940s building” – is the place to go, writes Batten.
Finally in the Algarve, Villa Agosto is considered a “minimalist villa” located in the village of Santa Bárbara de Nêxe that makes you “feel like you’ve landed in LA”.
“Inside the strikingly geometric structure, a series of restful spaces includes three bedrooms, two wet rooms, various interconnected living rooms (one with a sleek fireplace) and a kitchen – most have giant, gallery-like windows,” she writes.
“The gardens have been equally painstakingly tended, with ancient olive trees framing neatly clipped lawns and a long, lean pool,” the writer adds.
Last but not least, Casa Principal is portrayed as “a rambling estate 10 minutes’ drive up the Seixe river from Odeceixe’s picture-perfect beach”, with a “mix of six self-catering cottages with clean white finishes and painted wooden cabinets, acid-bright metal chairs and geometric bathroom tiles”.
Besides Portugal, the article also includes holiday villas and apartments in France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Croatia, among others.
To see the full list, visit: http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2015/mar/07/40-best-family-holiday-villas-apartments-europe
Via: PortugalResident.com